Show Me Your Dream
by osnapitzaGLEEK
Summary: Ariadne wakes up to reality. The mission is over, but she doesn't want it to be. In the dreams, her and Arthur were growing a connection, but what happens when the dream doesn't become reality? Does Arthur really love Ariadne? Rated M for later chapters
1. Back To Reality

Ariadne's P.O.V.

I glanced around to everyone. Having just woken up from a dream that had almost become a nightmare, I had to regain my grip on reality. A wave of nausea struck me, and I closed my eyes once more. Soon, I would be off the plane, in Los Angeles, and starting all over again.

After a few moments, I reached into my pocket and dug out the totem I had created before the dream world even began. Once I saw that everyone else was preoccupied, I set it on the arm of my chair and knocked it over. It hit the surface with a 'thud'. Taking a deep breath, I felt a sense of relief, yet utter disappointment. I swiped the chess piece up and placed it back into my pocket where it would safely remain the rest of the trip.

"Ariadne, you ok?" Cobb questioned, leaning sideways in his chair to get a better view of me.

"I think so, why?" my heart raced unexplainably.

"You just look a little pale, a little freaked. You look like Mal after her first trip," his eyes descended to the floor. A look of agony shown on his face, but within seconds, it had vanished and he was back looking at me as if his thoughts had never taken place.

"I'm just trying to come all the way back. I feel like a part of me was left in Limbo, ya know?"

"I know all too well," he answered.

"Here, drink this," Arthur leaned over, handing me a glass of water, "Your body is probably weak from all the sedatives."

I smiled, feeling a sense of care coming from him. Ever since that kiss in the second dream, there's been a connection between us, one neither one of us can explain.

"_What's happening?"_

The moment started over, like a movie reel, replaying in my mind.

"_Quick, give me a kiss!_"

My heart leapt. Was he serious? But in a flash, our lips met, for only a moment. And then it was over.

"_They're still looking at us."_

"_Yeah, it was worth a shot."_

He got up, a grin on his face. And soon he was headed in another direction, leaving me to sit there, stunned by what had just taken place.

"Ariadne?" his fingers snapped in front of me, bringing me back from my own world.

"Sorry," I spoke quietly, but tried to be reassuring, "just got caught up in my thoughts. I'm fine, really!"

Arthur leaned back in his chair, still keeping his eyes in my range.

Cobb's voice rang out through the plane cabin, "We're here." He jumped from his seat and got off the plane, heading inside for his baggage. We had all known what the end of this trip would lead to for him, but what about the rest of us?

I unbuckled the straps that were holding me in place and stood, grabbing the cabinets above me for balance.

"Need help?" Arthur's voice echoed in my ear. Chills ran up and down my spine, but I tried to regain my composure before replying.

"I think I can handle it," I grinned, tilting my head back to show him my joking manner.

But all I got in return was a head nod and a blank expression. He passed by me and exited the plane, heading off in the same direction as Cobb.

I, too, exited, and aimed myself for the restrooms. This was all too much. Reality was so much different from the dream world, and for some reason, I couldn't keep a firm grasp on either.

With one last glance in the direction of 'baggage claim', I whispered only loudly enough for myself to hear, "Goodbye, Arthur…"


	2. With The Help Of Another

_A/N: I realized that I am not capable of keeping the story well written if I remain in first person. Therefore, from here on out, the story shall be written in third person._

Ariadne stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, and unlike the many times she had seen herself before, something was different. She searched in her mind for what it might be, but couldn't place a thought on it. Finally giving up, she left and headed for baggage claim.

After all her bags were hung around her body, she strode out the exit doors and towards a limo that would take her to her hotel for the 2 weeks she would remain in America. When she climbed in, though, she was shocked to see him.

"What are you doing here?" his voice was soft, yet remained steady.

Her heart picked up its pace, pounding hard in her chest. She was sure he could hear it by now.

"I…..uh….the limo is taking me to the hotel I'm staying at…." She looked away from him, getting situated and buckling her seatbelt. Her eyes remained locked on the ground, avoiding his at all costs.

"Yeah….same thing goes for me…..look, Ari….I…." but his voice faded into nothingness, like he had never even began a sentence.

Silence surrounded them, choking them furiously. Both had tried to say something, but words became nonexistent. It was as if speaking were a foreign language.

Ariadne tried to end the silence, "So how long are you here for?" She didn't really care, but as long as the silence was gone, she was happy.

"Probably just the two weeks, then it's back to Paris for work again. You?"

"Most likely the same. I talked to my professor….Cobbs' dad, and he gave me some time off, said I needed to regain my reality back before I started up a school again."

At this thought, the totem that had been resting in her pocket had become more evident. She reached in and pulled it out, rubbing the softened texture between her fingers.

"Ah, your totem. Still think you're dreaming?" He smiled lightly, but then went back to an expressionless point.

"No, I know this is reality…." Her words faded, "because in the dreams, we were closer."

"I'm sorry, what was that last part?" He leaned forward, waiting for her to repeat herself.

"Oh, nothing, nevermind." Her eyes glanced to him, then shot to the window, watching as trees and cars whizzed by. Everything was a blur, just as switching levels in the dreams had been.

Except, in the dream, the connection between her and Arthur had been so much better than this. They had kissed…..she enjoyed it, she was sure he did too, but it had ended as quickly as it started, and Arthur seemed more protective, more around for her whether she needed him or not.

But in reality, he was completely different, like a whole new Arthur. Dreams had officially become better than reality.

"Arthur?" Ariadne finally gave in to the urge and looked to his eyes, searching them for answers.

"Yeah?" his eyes locked with hers.

"Do you have a PASIV with you?" Her eyes left his for only a moment to scan the ground and area around him.

"In my suitcase, why?"

"I want to go back under. There is something that needs to be done, and I need your help. Think you can do that?"

Arthur kept quiet for what seemed like an eternity to Ariadne, but when he replied, it was to her liking, "Sure, whatever you need. We can do it today, when we get to the hotel."

Ariadne didn't speak, but nodded her head, a small grin creasing her cheeks. She liked where this was headed.


	3. Entering A New Reality

_**A/N: I want to keep this story going, but with the amount of reviews I'm getting, it may end shortly. If you like it, or have anything at all to say, please REVIEW! Thanks for those of you that have, it's greatly appreciated!**_

Ariadne climbed out of the limo and headed to the trunk to grab her bags, but when she rounded the side of the car, she notice Arthur had all the bags situated on his shoulders or in his hands.

"You sure you want to carry all that?" she questioned, reaching slowly for her bags.

He pulled away, "It's fine. Let's go inside."

Ariadne nodded and led the way into the building and to the receptionists desk. "Hi, Ariadne. This is Arthur. Dom Cobb made reservations for us," her voice was soft and polite.

"Alright. Here's the key. You're both in room 324." She slid the two keys for that room across to Ariadne, but she interjected, "There must be a mistake? Cobb wouldn't put us in the same room..." she turned ever so slowly to Arthur, "Would he?"

Arthur responded with a shrug, "Not usually, but if we have to do...work...I guess it's better that way?"

Ariadne nodded after a moment, coming to terms with the fact that she would be rooming with that man she had fallen for in Fischer's dreams. She grasped the room keys in her hand, smiled at the worker, and headed for the elevator, Arthur in even step behind her.

_XXXXXXXXX_

Ariadne threw her tired body down on one of the beds, "Hopefully going into this dream will help me relax."

"Depends on what the dream is about. Care to share any details before I go down with you? No one like Mal will be there, correct? I don't want to be stabbed in the stomach or anything."

Ariadne smirked at Arthur, and he returned it with a light laugh.

"Oh, darling, you know I'm just kidding. But seriously, details?"

"Only that it's a world I've created, so don't go screwing it up. There's just one thing that doesn't go right when I'm down there. I need you to help me figure out why."

Arthur nodded and pulled out the PASIV. After everything was hooked up, Arthur pulled our the wrist band and needle, hooking the band around Ariadne. "Alright, I'll get you sent in, and after a few minutes, giving you time to adjust, I'll be in."

She nodded. He took the needle and ever so gentle pricked it into her vein. Her mouth let out a gasp of air, but just as quick, she was under.

Minutes had passed, and as Arthur was setting up for his entry into her dream, he heard her grunt. Her body twitched and her face became contorted. She began mumbling something under her breath, but it was too low for Arthur to make it.

"I've got to get down there," he said aloud, but to himself. He wrapped the band around his wrist, lay down on the bed next to her, and inserted the needle. Pressing the button, reality soon faded from his view, and he was entering a whole new world, one Ariadne had created, one very foreign to his own mind.


	4. A World Of Darkness

_**A/N: Thank you for all the sweet reviews! I wasn't sure to continue, but now that I realized it doesn't matter, (even though I thank you for all my true supporters) I shall continue on! Please keep the reviews coming! I love hearing what you guys think, and if you have any ideas or anything like that! :D Here ya go, chapter 4!**_

Darkness engulfed him, just as it had when he was leaving reality. His location, though, was unknown to him. He was surrounded by silence; only the echo of his breathing off the surrounding walls gave him the idea that he was in an abandon building. And then he heard it; shouts coming from the streets below, almost that of an angry riot.

Moving slowly, he shuffled to the nearest window. No light was emanating from the open source, which Arthur feared even more. As far as he could see, Ariadne's world wasn't a pleasant one. Was this the part that had been messed up? Was he in the source of it?

"Please, just go," her voice rang out, "I know your intentions weren't what I thought they were….."

His face pressed against the glass, shielding his eyes for a clearer view. The weather had shifted to a dense fog, still dark, but only worsening. The view from where he was had become impossible to see what was below.

"Damnit!" Arthur turned and followed the wall, frustration getting the better of him. He recognized her voice, knew she was in trouble, but couldn't help her. "Ariadne, what's going on in this pretty little head of yours?"

After what seemed like an eternity of hard cement, Arthur found an opening, a railing, and cement stairs that led him two levels down to the ground. He pushed open a door, finding himself on the street he was just looking down upon.

"Ariadne?" he shouted, searching frantically around himself for the crowd he had just seen.

"Please, just stop!"

It had come from around the corner and further down the street. Arthur found himself darting in that direction; unsure of what he was going to enter upon.

He saw her. And then himself. Except the difference between himself and the projection Arthur was that the projection looked angry, furious about something, ready to kill whatever got in his path…and what was in his path was Ariadne.

_**A/N: And this is where it ends for chapter 4! I know it's short, and you're probably on the verge of wanting to strangle me, but Eames gave me the idea to end it here, leaving you hanging on the edge of your seat until tomorrow, where there will be an extra long chapter! Satisfied? Like the darkness? Need some light? Let me know! **___


	5. A World Of Darkness Pt 2

_**A/N: Sorry it took longer than a day to update! School musical auditions took over my life last week, along with homework and what not! I won't keep you any longer…..on to chapter 5!**_

_**Disclaimer: I still don't own these characters or the movie itself…..Christopher Nolan is one lucky man!**_

"This is your fault, Ariadne," the projection yelled to the scared architect.

"I don't understand!" she shrieked, "How is this my fault?"

Arthur watched on in dumbstruck horror, words escaping him. He wanted to move, grab Ariadne and just run until they couldn't run anymore, but something was restricting from doing anything but breathe and blink.

"You and your stupid paths. You led the projections of Fischer's mind right to us. I had to kiss you…..and you took it the wrong way. Now you're mixing everyone's signals…." Projection Arthur pulled out a knife, "and now I have to end your life."

"You're crazy!" Ariadne yelled, turning and heading in the opposite direction. She ran past the real Arthur, almost as if she hadn't even noticed him.

"Ariadne?" he called, reaching out to grab her. But just as everything else in this dream had been odd, so had what happened next. Just as Ariadne passed him, she should've been stopped by his protruding arm, but it had only gone through. Arthur, shocked, came to the realization that he was a ghost-like passer-by in this dream world Ariadne had created. There was nothing he could do to save her. At least not until they woke up.

Projection Arthur whizzed by, also not noticing the real Arthur standing by. The knife he was carrying was aimed straight forward, ready to cut deep anything it came into contact with.

It had turned into a cat vs. mouse chase along the winding roads of Ariadne's dream. Arthur followed the rioting crowd, watching but not saying anything.

And within moments, it happened. Arthur's worst fear. He watched as the projection finally got a grip on Ariadne's jacket, pulling her down and landing on top of her. Ariadne's shrieks could be heard from miles away.

"Please," Arthur whispered, "just get this over with."

"No! Please, don-"

The knife pierced her skin, sliding deep into her chest, further and further as if it had no end. She was gone. The breath had been taken from her. And all he could do was watch. He felt dirty inside, sick to his stomach. It pained him to have to watch her die.

Within moments, his world started going black again. He felt like he was being ripped in two different directions. This gave him the idea that he was leaving her dream world and being brought back into reality.

"Arthur?"

Her voice echoed.

"Arthur? Wake up!" He could feel her soft hands in his, shaking him vigorously.

Reality hit him like a brick wall, his body jolting back to life. "Am I out?" he asked, reaching for the loaded die that held its own place in his pant pocket.

"Yeah….." Ariadne whispered, "Sorry about what happened down there…but where were you?"

Arthur sat forward, taking deep breaths. He rolled the die a few times, getting his grasp back on reality, "You really didn't see me, did you?"

The petite architect shook her head from side to side, tears welling in her eyes.

He could see the hurt. Taking her small hands into his, he held tightly, "I promise you I was there. I tried to speak, tried to stop you, but it's like I didn't exist. You want to explain what was going on down there? Why the projection of me was chasing you with a knife, yelling profanities."

Ariadne slid her hands out of his, scooting away from him. Butterflies started fluttering inside her, and she couldn't seem to make them vanish, "Oh…..that."

"Yeah. What the hell was that?"

"Where do I even begin?"

_**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! . what do you think Ariadne's going to do? Should she tell him what's been going on in her mind? Or will she make up some crazy excuse about it all? Review, and I'll be back with a new chapter soon!**_


	6. What About Reality

**A/N: I'm so sorry that's it been forever since I've updated. I got such a writer's block as to where to take this, and I still wanted it to remain fabulous for you, so I wasn't going to rush in a chapter. So here we go, an update!**

**Disclaimer: I still have no rights to Inception or the characters….. sadface.**

Arthur moved quickly from the bed into an upright position by the window, "How about where I started?"

Ariadne searched her thoughts for a possible answer, but when it came to her response, she remained puzzled, "Where did you start, Arthur?"

He turned back to her, "You seriously don't know?"

She shook her head back and forth, a look on confusion remained eminent on her face.

"I was in the warehouse, or at least something similar to it. But it was dark, dreary…..lonely."

Ariadne opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, so Arthur continued, "And when I finally found the window, I looked down and saw someone….you….in trouble with a projection. By the time I got to you, things had turned ugly. Why was your world so dark Ariadne?"

"Arthur, I can't…"

But Arthur was getting fed up with her and her not answering his questions. She wanted his help to figure out why things had gone so terribly down there, but with no information, he couldn't change what was happening.

Crossing the room back to the bed, Arthur sat down and put his hand on her knee, "Start talking, Ari. You can't keep this hidden forever."

Taking a deep breath, Ariadne gathered her thoughts, formed correct posture, and began, "Ya know when we went in Fischer's dream….to plant that idea…..?"

"The inception job, yes. What about it?"

"Well, when we were at the hotel, waiting for Cobb to tell him he was dreaming…..do you remember what happened then?"

Among his many thoughts, Arthur searched his mind for the moment Ariadne had mentioned, the exact timing…..and he remembered. As it came to him, a small grin appeared on his face, leading Ariadne to go on.

"Well, I'm glad you remember. That moment, that kiss, it may have meant nothing to you. But ever since we finished that job, and I've been back in reality, I just haven't stopped thinking about it. It's been driving me insane. So I created my own world, kind of like Cobb's, and I brought a projection of you in to it. I wanted to relive that moment over and over again. Except…" She froze, turning her head away from him. She wanted to keep looking in to his wonderful, thoughtful, loving eyes, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Except what? What, Ariadne, what?"

Looking out the window, Ariadne whispered, "The projection you hates me."

Arthur's happiness faded, the smile flipping into a frown. "But the real Arthur, myself, doesn't hate you."

"But that doesn't matter, Arthur!" Ariadne got up, frustration taking over her petite body.

"Why doesn't it?"

"Because that's not the Arthur I'm concerned about right now. We have no relationship. I had a chance with the projection you when I was asleep, but then he turned his back on me. He claimed I thought too much of what happened in the Fischer case. That I took it all the wrong way!" Tears welled in her eyes, ready to burst.

"But Ariadne, that's a dream. This is reality. I am reality. My feelings for you, those are reality!"

"And what are your feelings for me, Arthur? Just what do I have to look forward to in reality?"

**A/N: Another cliffhanger? How dare me! Thank you all so much for the reviews! Let me know what you think of this, and where you think it'll go! Maybe some A/A fluff? Or did Arthur lead her in to the wrong thoughts? Review, and I'll update ASAP!**


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